YOUNGSTOWN — Dionne Dowdy-Lacey, who wants to run for Youngstown council’s 1st Ward seat, won’t appear on the Democratic primary ballot after the Mahoning County Board of Elections threw out half of her nominating petitions’ signatures over forgery concerns.

Also, right before the board on Tuesday was not going to certify Struthers Municipal Court Judge Dominic R. Leone III for a lack of valid signatures — including 15 in which people printed rather than signed their names — his attorney produced affidavits from five people giving him the exact number needed to qualify.

The board voted Tuesday not to certify a weekly and Sunday liquor option at Tobacco City LLC, 110 Boardman Poland Road, in Boardman Precinct 9, because the circulator’s statement on the petitions wasn’t properly filled out, which is considered a fatal flaw.

Dowdy-Lacey filed petitions with 64 signatures on them. She needed 25 valid to qualify for the May 2 Democratic primary ballot.

But a petition circulated by Lisa Wilkins of Cornell Street for Dowdy-Lacey had eight signatures on it that the board determined were signed by the same person. The board chose to throw out the entire petition, which had 32 signatures on it.

Of the signatures on Dowdy-Lacey’s other petitions, the board ruled only 19 were valid. The others were invalidated because those signing printed their names or weren’t registered voters.

Board Chairman David Betras, who was somewhat hesitant to rule the signatures weren’t genuine, finally agreed and asked that the county sheriff’s office investigate Wilkins for potential election fraud.

The board voted to invalidate the entire petition thus not certifying Dowdy-Lacey and wait to see if she filed an appeal by the Feb. 17 deadline so Wilkins would be required to testify in front of it about whether she intentionally saw the signatures forged.

If she doesn’t file an appeal by the deadline, board member Joyce Kale-Pesta said the board would forward the matter to the sheriff’s office to investigate.

With Dowdy-Lacey, housing director for United Returning Citizens, off the ballot that means two-term incumbent Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, will run unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Tracy Randall of Alexander Street is on the ballot as a Republican candidate for the 1st Ward seat.

The ward includes downtown as well as portions of the East and South sides of the city.

LEONE CERTIFIED

The board was not going to certify the candidacy of Leone, a Democrat seeking his second six-year term, as he had 45 valid signatures on his petitions. Leone submitted petitions with 75 names. He needed 50 valid to be certified.

Of the 30 signatures deemed invalid, 15 were printed rather than signed names. The rest were either out of the court’s district or weren’t registered voters.

Right before the vote, Lou DeFabio, Leone’s attorney, presented to the board affidavits from five people who printed their names stating that was their signature and they signed the petitions. The board decided to accept the affidavits and forgo a hearing.

DeFabio said Leone learned about being short valid signatures after the newspaper reported Saturday there were issues with his petitions.

James A. Melone of Sturbridge Place in Poland, the only other Democrat to file for the seat, said the board meeting was supposed to be certifying or not certifying candidates and issues Tuesday and not taking evidence.

“My concern is the board may be putting the cart before the horse,” said Melone, a 25-year attorney who has been a county common pleas court magistrate for the past six years.

The board asked Linette Stratford, chief assistant county prosecutor, for her advice. She said she wouldn’t provide it in public, but would in an executive session. The board declined to meet privately with her.

Board Director Tom McCabe said Melone “has a point that we have a protest and a hearing.”

But Betras said the evidence already was in front of the board, which voted 4-0 in favor of certifying Leone.

Moments after the vote, Leone left the meeting and had DeFabio comment for him.

“We agree with the board’s actions,” DeFabio said. “Ohio law favors open, competitive elections. You used to have to sign cursive (on nominating petitions), but now only a mark is needed. We provided five affidavits. We could have provided more, but he only found out from The Vindicator article and contacted as many people as he could.”

Melone said it was “premature to make a decision” on an appeal.

The affidavits “should have been presented at a hearing and that didn’t happen,” he said. “I respect the decision of the board. I’ll review it and make a decision” on a possible appeal.

Also, Jennifer Ciccone of Four Seasons Trail in Poland, an attorney for nine years, was certified as a Republican candidate for the judicial position.

Struthers Municipal Court’s jurisdiction includes Struthers, Lowellville, New Middletown, Springfield Township and Poland Village and Township.

All other candidates who filed by last Wednesday’s deadline for seats in the May primary in Youngstown, Struthers, Campbell and Poland were certified Tuesday by the board of elections. Also, the board certified the four tax issues and three of the four liquor options that were filed for the May 2 ballot.

The weekly and Sunday liquor option at Tobacco City LLC in Boardman Precinct 9 was rejected 4-0 by the board because the circulator’s statement on the petitions wasn’t properly filled out.

“The bar is not that high,” Betras said. “We go through this every election cycle.”

Feb. 21 is the write-in deadline for candidates for the May 2 ballot.

May 1 is the deadline for independents to file for the Nov. 7 general election.

Aug. 9 is the deadline for nonpartisan candidates running in November for seats such as township trustee and fiscal officer and school board member to file.